Shield: SA snap slump but ruin George Bailey’s farewell

George Bailey’s first-class cricket career is over but he still has unfinished Big Bash business in mind as he prepares to join the national selection panel.

Tasmania’s George Bailey is congratulated by SA’s William Bosisto in Hobart on his last Sheffield Shield game

George Bailey’s first-class cricket career is over but the much-respected veteran still has unfinished Big Bash business in mind as he prepares to join the national selection panel.

Bailey’s 161st and final first-class game didn’t exactly go to plan in Hobart.

It ended on Tuesday with Bailey rolling his arm over as South Australia snapped an 18-match Sheffield Shield winless streak, hauling in a target of 170 to defeat Tasmania by six wickets.

Bailey recorded a golden duck the previous day, joking it was fitting and a little bit of poetry “to go out with a duck like Don Bradman and the great DC Boon”.

The 37-year-old will soon join chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns and national coach Justin Langer in shaping the national XI, replacing Greg Chappell on the powerful panel.

Bailey has started preparing for the transition but remains focused on ensuring his final swan song with the Hobart Hurricanes, who assemble for their first training session on Wednesday, is one to remember.

George Bailey rolls his arm over in his final game

“I’ve sort of been given a handful of things to run my eye over in terms of looking at what’s ahead,” Bailey said in Hobart.

“My role probably won’t change too much (during the BBL). I think I watch most, if not every game of the Big Bash, so I’ll probably be doing much the same.

“It (first-class retirement) probably hasn’t sunk in ... you want the fairytale finish but, reminiscing over the last few days, the last 15 or 20 years have been the fairytale.”

The Redbacks, who hadn’t won a Shield match since February 2018, bowled Tasmania out for 261 on Tuesday morning.

The dismissal of Australia’s one-day keeper Alex Carey, who was out edging for six, capped a horror start to the chase as SA crashed to 4-34. But Will Bosisto and Harry Nielsen steadied in style, sharing an unbeaten 136-run stand that helped deliver SA a long-awaited victory. Nielsen top-scored with 86 not out, including the winning run off Bailey.

“I wasn’t actually sure my shoulder could stand up to a full over. I now know it can’t, it was very painful,” Bailey said.

“I just tried to get through without too much embarrassment.”

Wes Agar, who ended Bailey’s final Shield innings on Monday, was named man of the match after snaring career-best match figures of 8-121.

Meanwhile, shocking conditions at a smoke-blanketed SCG affected the vision and breathing of cricketers from NSW and Queensland on Tuesday, prompting Steve O’Keefe to call on Cricket Australia to ensure the scenes are never repeated.

O’Keefe helped the Blues extend their unbeaten start to the Sheffield Shield season, grabbing 3-28 as the table-toppers rolled the Bulls for 176 and made light work of their target of 42.

However, bushfire smoke at the iconic venue proved as big a talking point as the on-field action on day four of NSW’s nine-wicket victory.

Queensland skipper Usman Khawaja felt like he was batting in Delhi during a knock of 54, noting it was “hard to breathe” and the haze affected players’ vision.

AAP